A study of the ionic route for hydrogen terminations resulting after SiO2 etching by concentrated aqueous solutions of HF

An ionic route is proposed to account for the observed hydrogen termination resulting after the attack by HF concentrated aqueous solution to thermally oxidized silicon. The route is constituted by three cycles each composed of four consecutive steps, the rate-determining one being F− transfer from the etching solution to the coma of SiFn termination.